Being grateful for everything in my life…. no matter what…

Have you ever been at the store and someone, totally out of the blue, pays you a compliment? I’m sure we’ve all been in this situation… and doesn’t it just put a lovely positive spin on the rest of your day? I was on the receiving end of a compliment this weekend and it’s been playing on “repeat” in my head ever since… which means to me it’s something worth discussing.

There are so many benefits to offering someone a compliment. Every day, we have the opportunity to have a positive impact on the people with whom we come in contact. It doesn’t have to be something astounding, like “Wow, you look like you’ve lost a lot of weight since I saw you last!” or “You look 10 years younger with that new haircut!”, to have a huge impact on another person’s day. Complimenting someone, especially someone you don’t know, on the color of their shirt or even their choice in a specific purchase can boost another’s confidence in such a unique way.

While it’s not necessarily fair, comments (positive or negative) from random people can sometimes carry a little more weight simply because we see them as being more unbiased than those coming from people who are familiar with us. Our friends see us on a regular basis… they get used to what we typically wear or how we tend to look. Our loved ones want to see the best in us… just as we always want to present our best selves to them. Seeing ourselves through “fresh eyes” can provide a new prospective which can really lift a person’s mood.

The other benefit of a compliment, especially for a woman, is when that compliment comes from another woman. Instead of trying to tear each other down, what would happen if we tried to build one another up when we have the opportunity? While this may seem totally out of whack, I stand by the idea that a positive compliment, no matter how insignificant or random it may seem, will have a positive outcome for the other person.

Does it really take much out of our day to look for the good in another person and pay them a compliment? It may be the only kind thing that person hears all day… it may be the only positive thing that person experiences all day… and it didn’t cost you a single cent. Paying someone a compliment is simply sharing “The Golden Rule” with another human being. Treat others as you, yourself, would like to be treated. A kind word, a helpful gesture, a simple compliment… they can each go a long way toward making this world a much more loving place in which to live.

I think a positive compliment trumps a negative comment in any situation… don’t you?